Great Results from Harrington 1 - 3 away from WSOP!

I wanted to share my experience, and gratitude to 2+2 Publishing and Harrington for this great book.

Last weekend, Absolute Poker had an "affiliate appreciation tournament" for its poker affiliates. The 1st place prize was no less than a $12,000 WSOP main event seat + expenses.

In the previous month's Tournament (same prize and about a field of 100 players), I played, and came in 14th place, just barely hanging on (in my usual, non-agressive tournament play). I have read Brunson's Super System, and a many others, but none really went into detail about many of the subjects that I knew in which I was lacking.

So, I knew I was going to playing in the Tournament on Sunday night, the books (vol 1 and 2) arrived Saturday afternoon. In my free time during that period, I spent a whirlwind 36 hours reading and trying to absorb as much as I could from Vol 1.I actually got through the whole book by the time the Tournament started (but obviously, reading as fast as I did, I didn't absorb everything as well as I should have).

Anyway, the tournament starts and I begin to use Harringtons advice on bet size, continuation bets, etc. I find myself winning hands that I never would have gotten involved with! I kept saying to myself, hand after hand "Wow, this advice is fantastic!" About 60 minutes in, my KK is cracked in a showdown to AA. And my stack of about 3,500 is down to about $600.

I hung in there, still using his guidance, and about 3 hours later find myself at the final table in 4th place! This is quite an accomplishment for me personally, not only to be at the final table with a sizeable stack, but to have come back from virtually last place to get there. Play continues and I knock out a few people,then, we are down to the top three. I was between a stack of about 50K and another of about 50K and I had about 29K in chips.

I was dealt 10-10, and got too excited, reverted back to my previous style of not analyzing the situation properly, and got all in (I raised, he re-raised me). Opponent turns over A-J - flop comes A - rag - rag, etc... So I am knocked out with a $200 prize for 3rd. Three away from a free WSOP seat, and beleive me, I had never done that well in any tournament before - I owe it to Harrington and this great resource. I highly reccommend this book to anyone as required reading. The hand examples are amazing, and his analysis of each hand really helps you get into the head of a great player.

I really think that if I had time to read the 2nd book (which is devoted to more of the end of the tournament, heads up, etc) I really could have won the thing.

Of course, I went back to Vol. 1 after the tournament and there were about 10 examples of what to do with a 10-10 (that I had just skimmed over), and I obviously did the wrong thing. But all in all it was a fantastic experience, and any free moment I get I will be studying both of these books. Harrington Vol 1 and 2 are invaluable resources for NL tournament play.

Thanks 2+2!

You have to realize the "correct" play in the early stages of a tournament (vol. 1) and the later stages (vol. 2) is drastically different. If you were 3 handed with TT and (im assuming) high blinds, your move with the TT was correct.


Congratulations on you success,

Rob